Dogs that spin in circles, jump up and down, or bark and yip are not happy dogs. All of these are tell-tale signs of excessive excitement. They mean the dogs have too much energy, and they naturally want to work off the adrenalin physically.
Too many people make the mistake of interpreting these signals as one of happiness. Some people even think it’s cute when dogs act like this and end up encouraging the behavior. It’s important to curb your dog’s excitement. It will help prevent future misbehaviors, including aggression.
Try using calming treats
There are many suitable treats on the market but you really want to find the best calming treats for your dog. Calming treats provide both a reward and their calming qualities. It is among the easiest ways of providing your pet with some anxiety relief. Remember that as with most medications, a calming treat needs at least 30 minutes before it starts working.
Don’t Encourage Excitement
The worst thing any of us can do is show affection or attention to an overexcited dog. This just tells them you like what is happening.
The best way to react is to ignore a dog that gets over-excited. Use the no-touch, no-talk, no-eye contact method. Turn the other way or push the dog back down.
Encourage Calm Behavior
If your dog is in a calm and submissive state, give it lots of affection and attention. This will reinforce the state you want to encourage.
Wear Your Dog Out
Finding lots of fun outlets for your dog’s energy is possibly the best way to keep a dog docile and calm, but it takes effort – and a lot of it.
Provide Outlets — With Stipulations
If a dog’s mind is stimulated it helps reduce any excess energy. Playing fetch, having a dog search for a treat that you have hidden, or running around an obstacle course are all great ways of stimulating minds and draining energy.
Just make sure you control the activity’s length and intensity. When your dog gets too excited, then it’s time to end the game.
Engage Their Main Sense – Smell
Capturing a dog’s sense of smell will have a calming effect. There are scents like vanilla and lavender that can help keep a dog calm.
Stay Calm Yourself
Your dog needs to see that you are calm. This means you need to check your energy. It should only require you to issue a short, sharp sound when you want to distract your dog to get its attention.
When you have a dog that is naturally high-energy and excitable, it is bound to take time to see results with the above techniques. The crucial part is for you to remain calm and consistent in applying the techniques and being persistent. The chances are your dog was socialized into becoming hyperactive. It didn’t happen overnight. This means it’s going to take time and effort to unravel the knot. However, you’ll have a surprise when you see the change once you have committed to the task. Consistency is key.
